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Wings of Change: Why Armed Drones Are Proliferating in Western Balkans

Armed drones are becoming a favoured means for Balkan countries to boost their military muscle and regional clout – but even though they are unlikely to trigger a war, their unchecked spread brings substantial risks. Original post Here

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Italy Still Views Albania Through a Colonial Lens

Italy once conquered Albania, claiming it was bringing civilisation to a barbarous people; judging from the language of its current diplomats, its mindset hasn’t changed. Original post Here

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Tirana Mayor Slated by Watchdogs for Calling BIRN Journalist ‘Contract Killer’

Media watchdog tells Tirana Mayor to ‘stop denigrating journalists’ for doing their work – after calling Ola Xama ‘a contract killer’ for writing an article in BIRN about probes into disputed waste concession contracts. Original post Here

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Taulant Balla to swear in as Interior minister

This Saturday at 10:00 in the Presidency, the swearing-in ceremony of Taulant Balla as the Minister of the Interior will be held. The Parliament approved on July 13, with 75 votes in favour, 16 against, 1 abstention, the appointment of Balla, who will replace Bledi Çuçi after his dismissal. The …

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Elderly dies at Vlora beach, police gives details

An elderly, about 80 years old, lost his life at the “Old Beach” of Vlora. From the preliminary information, it is suspected that he suffered a “cardiac arrest”. “Today at around 08:10, in the neighborhood ‘1 Maji’, Vlorë, in the place called ‘Old Beach’, an 80-year-old citizen, a resident of …

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Taulant Balla sworn in as Interior minister

Taulant Balla was sworn in as Interior minister this Saturday at 11:00. Earlier, the Assembly approved on July 13, with 75 votes in favor, 16 against, 1 abstention, the appointment of Balla, who will replace Bledi Çuçi after his dismissal. Çuçi was fired by Prime Minister Edi Rama after the …

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Protests against Kurti/ Alliance for the Future of Kosovo: P.M has broken relations with allies!

While the veterans of KLA (Kosovo Liberation Army) and the opposition prepare to protest this Saturday in Pristina, the vice president of AAK(Alliance for the Future of Kosovo) Pal Lekaj says that the sooner this government resign, it will be much better for the citizens of the Republic of Kosovo. …

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Balluku meets Escobar in Washington

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy and Infrastructure Belinda Balluku held a meeting with the US envoy for the Western Balkans,Gabriel Escobar at the State Department in Washington. Through a post on his Facebook page, Balluku states that he discussed with the high official “a number of critical issues …

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Albania’s Parliament Greenlights ex-Deputy PM’s Arrest

Parliament voted on Friday to accept a prosecution request for permission to arrest former minister Arben Ahmetaj on corruption charges, though his whereabouts remain unknown Original post Here

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Parliament gathers in session for Ahmetaj’s MP mandate’s lifting

anian Parliament will gather this Friday in another plenary session to discuss once again the request of the Special Prosecution against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK) to strip former minister Arben Ahmetaj of his MP mandate and immunity in order to arrest him. During the previous plenary session in the …

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EU grant for Vorë-Hani i Hotit, minister Mete signs the agreement

An agreement providing 136 million Euros of EU grants for the rehabilitation of the Vorë-Hani i Hoti railway line was signed today, at the House of Europe, in Tirana, by the Minister of Finance Ervin Mete, EU Ambassador Silvio Gonzato and Head of EBRD in Albania Ekatarina Solovova. The funds …

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Start the last session of Assembly, is expected the approval of the SP-PD agreement for the electoral law

Today is the second day of the plenary session. The last session for this parliamentary session. Yesterday’s session was accompanied by debates between the parties, where the report of the head of the Supreme State Audit was discussed. This Friday, the main topic will be the agreed draft for the …

News
The hearing session for Ilir Beqaj is postponed again due to the absence of one of the lawyers

The preliminary hearing for Ilir Beqaj and the other persons accused of the “Sterilization” file is postponed for the umpteenth time. The reason was the absence of one of the lawyers. The former Minister of Health was present at the session and requested that through a statement he opposes the …

News
“One in three should be a woman”, is expected the approval of SP-DP for code changes

Another amendment has been submitted to the assembly regarding the draft law on changes to the Electoral Code. Journalist Fjona Xhafaj reports for ABC News that the letter was signed by 26 women MPs. The women’s group was joined by the chairmen of the Bledi Çuçi and Gazment Bardhi groups. …

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Arrestohet ish-zëvendësministri rus i Mbrojtjes

Ish-zëvendësministri rus i Mbrojtjes, Dmitry Bulgakov është arrestuar për korrupsion, sipas Shërbimit Federal të Sigurisë të Rusisë. Gjithashtu po kryhen masa operativo-kërkimore për identifikimin e shkaqeve dhe kushteve që kanë lehtësuar veprimtarinë e paligjshme. Bulgakov ishte përgjegjës për mbështetjen materiale dhe teknike të ushtrisë ruse. Russia’s FSB detained the former …

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Op/Ed: A lesson for a new world politics

The UN has recognized the Srebrenica massacre as genocide by a majority vote. With this decision, the international community gives a warning signal against any form of genocide. And the role of Mrs. Del Ponte for hiding the truth. By SYLË UKSHINI* On May 23, the United Nations General Assembly approved …

News
Albania’s two largest parties reach deal on electoral reform, face criticism

TIRANA, July 25, 2024 – Albania’s two largest political parties — the ruling Socialist Party and the main opposition Democratic Party — have reached a deal to make significant changes to the country’s electoral code ahead of next year’s parliamentary elections. Key changes include only partially opening candidate lists so …

News
Cooperation against crime with Montenegro, more than 11 thousand cannabis roots are destroyed

The operation “Bjeshket”, carried out in cooperation with the Albanian police and the police of Montenegro, is finalized. The director of the Shkodra Police, Edmond Sulaj, in a communication to the media, emphasized that hundreds of thousands of cannabis plants were destroyed by this operation. Accordingly, during this action, 11,358 …

News
Qatar Square to serve as Tirana’s newest hub and vital part of New Boulevard project

TIRANA, July 24, 2024 – The Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD) has signed a grant agreement with the Municipality of Tirana to establish Qatar Square, a significant development in the heart of Albania’s capital.  The €11 million project, to be built on 23,700 square meters, aims to transform the end …

News
Accused of bribery of 25,000 to influence the judges, SPAK closes investigations for lawyer Petraq Semani

The Special Prosecutor’s Office has closed the investigations and submitted the file of lawyer Petraq Semani for trial. The investigation showed that Petraq Semani, as the legal defender of the citizen Llazar Dine, asked the citizens Llazar Dine and Sidorela Dine for the monetary amount of 25,000 Euros, after he …

News

EU grant for Vorë-Hani i Hotit, minister Mete signs the agreement

An agreement providing 136 million Euros of EU grants for the rehabilitation of the Vorë-Hani i Hoti railway line was signed today, at the House of Europe, in Tirana, by the Minister of Finance Ervin Mete, EU Ambassador Silvio Gonzato and Head of EBRD in Albania Ekatarina Solovova. The funds …

News

Start the last session of Assembly, is expected the approval of the SP-PD agreement for the electoral law

Today is the second day of the plenary session. The last session for this parliamentary session. Yesterday’s session was accompanied by debates between the parties, where the report of the head of the Supreme State Audit was discussed. This Friday, the main topic will be the agreed draft for the …

News

The hearing session for Ilir Beqaj is postponed again due to the absence of one of the lawyers

The preliminary hearing for Ilir Beqaj and the other persons accused of the “Sterilization” file is postponed for the umpteenth time. The reason was the absence of one of the lawyers. The former Minister of Health was present at the session and requested that through a statement he opposes the …

News

“One in three should be a woman”, is expected the approval of SP-DP for code changes

Another amendment has been submitted to the assembly regarding the draft law on changes to the Electoral Code. Journalist Fjona Xhafaj reports for ABC News that the letter was signed by 26 women MPs. The women’s group was joined by the chairmen of the Bledi Çuçi and Gazment Bardhi groups. …

News

Arrestohet ish-zëvendësministri rus i Mbrojtjes

Ish-zëvendësministri rus i Mbrojtjes, Dmitry Bulgakov është arrestuar për korrupsion, sipas Shërbimit Federal të Sigurisë të Rusisë. Gjithashtu po kryhen masa operativo-kërkimore për identifikimin e shkaqeve dhe kushteve që kanë lehtësuar veprimtarinë e paligjshme. Bulgakov ishte përgjegjës për mbështetjen materiale dhe teknike të ushtrisë ruse. Russia’s FSB detained the former …

News

Op/Ed: A lesson for a new world politics

The UN has recognized the Srebrenica massacre as genocide by a majority vote. With this decision, the international community gives a warning signal against any form of genocide. And the role of Mrs. Del Ponte for hiding the truth. By SYLË UKSHINI* On May 23, the United Nations General Assembly approved …

News

Albania’s two largest parties reach deal on electoral reform, face criticism

TIRANA, July 25, 2024 – Albania’s two largest political parties — the ruling Socialist Party and the main opposition Democratic Party — have reached a deal to make significant changes to the country’s electoral code ahead of next year’s parliamentary elections. Key changes include only partially opening candidate lists so …

News

Cooperation against crime with Montenegro, more than 11 thousand cannabis roots are destroyed

The operation “Bjeshket”, carried out in cooperation with the Albanian police and the police of Montenegro, is finalized. The director of the Shkodra Police, Edmond Sulaj, in a communication to the media, emphasized that hundreds of thousands of cannabis plants were destroyed by this operation. Accordingly, during this action, 11,358 …

News

Qatar Square to serve as Tirana’s newest hub and vital part of New Boulevard project

TIRANA, July 24, 2024 – The Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD) has signed a grant agreement with the Municipality of Tirana to establish Qatar Square, a significant development in the heart of Albania’s capital.  The €11 million project, to be built on 23,700 square meters, aims to transform the end …

News

Accused of bribery of 25,000 to influence the judges, SPAK closes investigations for lawyer Petraq Semani

The Special Prosecutor’s Office has closed the investigations and submitted the file of lawyer Petraq Semani for trial. The investigation showed that Petraq Semani, as the legal defender of the citizen Llazar Dine, asked the citizens Llazar Dine and Sidorela Dine for the monetary amount of 25,000 Euros, after he …